Cutting-chain



J. A. WIGGS, J1: CUTTING CHAIN FOR MINING MACHINES.

(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 15, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JAMES A. Wises, In, or BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

CUTTING-CHAIN ,FOR MINING-MACHINES Y SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,510, dated January 15, 1 895.

Application filed April 13, 1894. Serial No 507,394. (No model To all; whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. WIGGS, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham,in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and 'useful Improvements iri Cutting-Chains for Mining-Machines; and. I do hereby declare the following to. be a full, clear,- and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention is an improvementon the patent of --McEwen and Cartwright, No. 450,971, and other patents on mining machines which employ an e'ndlesschain carrying blades or the construction and combination of parts .of the coupling pins.

hereinafter particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a part of a cutting chain embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents adetail-perspective view of the cutter carrying links having knife-blocks formed therewith. Fig. 3 represents a similar view of three forms of the knife-fastening bolts. Fig. 4 represents a similar view of one Fig. 5 represents in detail elevation one of the connecting links. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section of another form of cutter-carrying link and bolt, the latter in dotted lines.

The patent above mentioned is respectfully referredto for the general construction and operation of the machine, which'need not be described here, as the improvements now claimed relate to no part of the machine ex- 'cept the chain only.

This chain is made up of knife bearing links A and pairs of connecting links B, arranged alternately; that, is 'to. say each pair of the flat connecting links 13 receives between their ends the reduced ends A of the two next knife-bearing links A. These ends A have perforations a to register with perforations b in links B. Coupling pins Cwith elongated .orrect-angular heads" are passed through the holes a and fit i o the holes b, thus con- 'and enlarge the out.

necting the partsiof the chain together. The shape of the heads 0 prevents them from turning in the thin fiat links B, the holes I) havinga shape so far corresponding as to lock the said ends. The said ends of the pins are equal in their greatest diameter to the greatest diameter of the said holes. The middle part of the pin iscylindrical and leaves the knife-bearing links A free to turn, so as to secure the requisite flexibility in the chain, while avoiding the wear of the ends of the pins which must occur when round ends are employed therefor, fitting in round holes of the links B. When these ends are worn a little it is evident that there will be continual risk ofthe chain coming apart.

' I do not wish to be restricted to the forms of holes and of the ends of coupling pins which I have shown, as almost any angular, irregular or elongated form would an-.

swer the purpose provided the hole in the link-be not large enough to weaken the latter unduly, nor greater in diameter than the end of the pin so as to allow the latter to pull out. The ends of the pin are upset or riveted after it is in place, to prevent such detachment.

Each link A is provided with a raised cutter-head or block preferably integral therewith and having in its face a broad recess E, bordered by two flanges e. These heads or blocks are arranged in sets of three designated D D' D In the first and second blocks of the set, D and I" the said flanges are vertical. and outward. its recess E a single straight bar-formed cutter or knife F, which cuts centrally. The second head 1) receives two of such cutters F F which stand parallel against the said flanges The third head I)? receives another pair of such cutters 13 F which slant outward widening and beveling the out. These cutters or knives are held rigidly in place by clamping hooks or bolts G (l G which have threaded stems or shanks extending back through holes in the said blocksor heads, to receive nuts'at the rear of the latter. The first hook G of the series is provided with a recess 9 to receive the cutter F. The hook or bolt G, next in order, is provided with similar recesses g on each side to receive the cutters F F The third hook 1n the third they flare upward The first head D receives in precise G; is provided with inclined recesses g for the cutters F When these hooks or bolts are tightened against the several heads they fasten the said cutters'securely in place. The

cutter thus held is braced behind by the raised cutter head and at the sides by the sidewalls of the recess in the said head and by the shank of the bolt. The head or'hook of the bolt of course holds and braces the said to cutter in front. The bolt and head together naake a very solid brace and fastening for the said cutter or cutters; but it ispbvious that such fastenings permit the said cutters or knives to be easily removed when worn or r 5 broken or when for any other reasonremoval or substitution becomes necessary. The cutters do not need to be especially made for. this use, but ordinary pieces of tool-steel may be employed and theirdestruction is no great loss; making the running expense or the chain very light indeed.

The holes I) are preferably countersunk or milled as shown to permit riveting for the better holding of,.the coupling pins in position in the-links B. 7

Of course the method and means of. fastening above describedmay be used with a different arrangement of cutters, and the same arrangement of cutters maybe usedwith dif- 0 ferent fastening devices; neither feature of my invention. beingv absolutely dependenton the other. I

In some instances-I prefer to-use the modified form of cutter head and bolt shown in I Fig. 6, in which the cutter head is provided.

with a central vertical opening, recess or socket h to receive the cutter and has also a horizontal opening or passage I-I from front to rear, to receive a wedge-shaped bolt I. Thisv 4o bolt-has its inclined face presented outward to bear against the correspondingly inclined inner facet of the outer wall of the said opening, or passage II. The nut 1 of the said bolt, when tightened, draws these inclined faces together so that the straight in nerface of the said bolt will bearagainst the blade or cutter and clamp it in place.

All the forms of b'oltabove described have in common an enlarged part which is drawn side of the cutter, holdingit' firmly with the aid of the solid bracing block at its rear. They are all adapted to hold an ordinary straight bar, allowing almost any ordinary broken rod -or similar piece to be utilized as a cutting tool instead of requiring some en- "iargement, inclined shoulder, or other especial construction of the tool, as has hitherto beennecessary'when' reasonably secure fastenings were empl yed. 6o Having thus described my invention, what .-'I claimas'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a cutter-carrying chain for a mining raised and-recessed block with a bolt work. ing through the same at the side of thccut-q ter and provided with an enlarged part arranged to bear immediately against the side ,orfront of the cutter and a nut which fits on 10 the end elf-the said bolt behind the said block to draw the said bolt against the cutter substantially as set forth. 1 I p 2. In a cuttingchain for miningmachines, a .a cutter-carrying link having a raised cutter .75

block formed therewith and recessedto receive a cutter or cutters in combination with a bolthaving'a hook or. hooks formed on its head, and'working through the said block at the side of 'the cutter and a nut working-0n 8c the end of, the. saidibolt behind theisaid block to draw the said hook or hooks immediately against the front of the said on tter or cutters substantially as set forth. v 3. A cutting chain for turning machines 85 "constructed withthe cutters arranged in sets otthree heads, the firsthead of each set being provided witha single cutteror blade arranged to act centrally, thesecond being pro- ;vided with apair of upright parallel blades 0 cutting on each-side thereof, and the third being provided with a pair of inclined blades utting in oblique lines substantially as set forth. v

in presenceof two witnesses. JAMES A. WIGGS, JR.

' Witnesses: J. BERNARD Scorr,

50 by the action ofthe nut against the front or A. B. LACY.

v machine,-the combination of a link having'a In testimony whereof affiir iny signature 5 

